Best Boating Moments

[Ceesub]

Getting my 5 year old up and riding on his own board for the first time. I almost cried, it was amazing. The look on his face was one I'll never forget.

[-BS-]

This summer my son and I were camping/ boating with a group that for the most part I didn't know that well. Ended up having a blast, everyone meshed so well. The best day was when we found a nice very calm little cove, had lunch and swimming in some very warm water.

Not the highlight but unforgetable moment when my son in the cove and the swimming was ended with everyone getting in the boats as fast as possible. Everyone took it really well....I think. It kinda ruined the moment.

Nah. It was aaaaallllll good. It would take a lot more than that to ruin a perfectly flat, 80 degree weekday, with only a handful of boats on Banks Lake..... (now a broken down Mastercraft.....that's a different story )

[Lance B. Johnson]

Nah. It was aaaaallllll good. It would take a lot more than that to ruin a perfectly flat, 80 degree weekday, with only a handful of boats on Banks Lake..... (now a broken down Mastercraft.....that's a different story )

oh yea! and the broken down MC. How could i forget

You see, my son you see throws up on a whim. He once got sent home from school for throwing up because he saw a piece of bark dust on the floor. He thought it was Poo.

People must think we are strange and cruel....most of the time we laugh when he does it. Sometimes he is laughing also.

Edited December 2, 2011 by Ruffdog

[Bobby Light]

For me the 2011 NW WOW was pretty awesome. Had a great time, and met some really cool people .

[barefootpaul]

It was a light year for us. We have a little girl now which makes it a little harder to get out but she LOVES the water

The other highlight was getting up on a Sky Ski for the first time Thanks Bill!! I am hooked but I still need to convince my wife that we need one...

[gorilla]

1. Buying my 1st boat....1st Malibu

2. NW WOW....wonderful weekend, met some awesome people that I still stay in contact with. can't wait for this years (hopefully can make it)

3. Learned gainers on both sides of the boat on my foil

4. Went ropeless (for a sustained ride) for the first time

5. Got the wifey to surf and she even went ropeless this season (damn light weight people on a big surf board, make it look easy)

6. Learning the joys and pains of boat ownership (cold weather sucks, but taking the boat out for one last run this weekend)

[Love2Ride]

Finally gathering up the cajones to throw the raley this year.

[Bill_AirJunky]

NW WOW was a big one. Great to meet the various Crew members, John, Jeremy, Brian..... plus new foil riders Brian & Jen & their new LSV!

A week at Shasta was the best. Dave & Kae, one of the couples that went with us, bought a 23' Vride about a month after we got back.

Taught 5 or 6 riders this year. Was fun to see Paul & his family numerous times the week they were on our lake. Also, Ben & Joey, who landed his first inverts behind our Vride. Then he had a tough time landing any behind his own boat so he came back & landed his 2nd, 3rd & 4th inverts behind the Vride. Guess the boat has some good karma or something.

Also spent a week in LA at the boat show. Not sure it was the best time but it was good to see some old SkySki friends, meet a couple of TMC members, and hang out "out back" with a couple of the pros.

Lookin forward to Banks again this year!

[LS-One]

Tearing my bicep early in the season put the ka-bosh on the remainder of the season. I also made the tough decision the sell the VLX this year.

But I'm happy with my new to me Sunsetter Lx.

Next season will be better though. I've started a very ambitious exercise routine to get in a little better shape for next year.

We actually got a flyer from Lake Powell yesterday. If we book a houseboat prior to mid January we get 50% off regardless of on or off peak season. Tempting, very tempting.

[kengrutza]

This summer was a memorable one.

I had all three of my boys out on the water with me, 2 wakeboarders and a slalom skier! I was the one to jump the wakes furthest!

I was able to ski behind my boat for the 1st time in 3 years since rebuilding it, what a gas!

Wakeboarding behind my Bu for the 1st time.

Driving as my sister got up on skis for the 1st time in over 20 years, she had a bad wipeout practicing for a tournament and almost broke her neck. It was a great thrill to get her back on top of the water again.

Watching my newphes learn to kneeboard and one wakeboard for the 1st time.

Short season but packed with good memories.

Hopefully next summer we can get my Dad to come back and experience this.

[martinarcher]

Finally gathering up the cajones to throw the raley this year.

Man was it fun to watch live! Keep shedding it hard. Desta and I were pumped after we checked the camera and those pics turned out so good!

[mcbean7]

Every outing on the water is a good time but these stand out as some of my most memorable:

1. Selling our '89 Ski Centurion DD and moving to a VLX.

2. Bought a foil and started hydrofoiling.

3. Getting my water-scared nephew on the water and tubing behind a boat (even though we were going 5 mph!).

[Malibuben]

Come on now Malibu_Mike, It was at least 9:30!! But yes, vacation this past summer was a blast! can't wait to get the BU out next March and start all over!! oh yeah, and learn to foot!!

[Bake's Marine]

One of the thousands of great moments this year.

The NW WOW was my 2011 highlight for sure. What a great weekend with family, friends, & customers that became friends and family.

[waketheworld]

Every time i go to a Wake the World event, especially a new one.

Wake the World NC 2010, taught a kid named James how to wakeboard, wakesurf and kneeboard all in less than one hour! His first fall on the kneeboard was doing a 360. This year I took him to some competitions and he became State Champion. He is a natural...

[coyote055]

Driving a Malibu for the first time... I shoved the throttle all the way forward like I used to do on my Searay and the wife slid off of the seat and landed on the deck. I thought it was at least a little funny... she called me a bad name. I have since learned to control the extra Hp and she's much happier.

Then there was the day that we got 8 out of 9 newbe's up on a wakeboard for the first time. I don't know which I enjoy more, the look on the kids faces when they get up for the first time or the looks on their parents faces.

Mostly I like spending water time with my crew on warm summer evenings.

[rhavey79]

proposing at sunrise on lake gaston on the boat during our annual week long trip this summer

[canski27]

So many!!

-First summer with a 'bu.

-First ski of the year - it was 60 degrees and I don't believe in wetsuits.

-Last ski of the year - not sure what I was going run out of first; gas in my arms, gas in the boat, daylight or my wife's patience......it was the latter.....just minutes before the daylight thing.

Thank you all for such great stories.

[msuwaterski]

We had an absolutely wonderfull summer on the boat, however 2 moments really stick out.

1. The first time we brought our infant son on the boat. He was 8 days old. It only took about 30 seconds for the hum of the engine to knock him out. He spent most of the summer in his car seat next to the engine box behind the drivers seat.

2. Early August, Walloon lake, Mi. 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. 7am, mirror flat lake and not a boat on it. My wife and I loaded up the two kids and headed out. We both got several mile slalom sets in, then we parked in the middle of the lake and woke everyone up everyone up with a little dance party mix as we danced on the sun pad and swim platform with our 3 year old daughter. Then my wife and I swam with our 3 year old for about a half hour. After that we finished the outing with my wife and I both getting endless wakeboard sets in. We did all this while our son slept next to the engine box. 2 hours later we were back out on the lake with extended family for an afternoon of surfing. It was heaven!

[toddj]

We had an absolutely wonderfull summer on the boat, however 2 moments really stick out.

1. The first time we brought our infant son on the boat. He was 8 days old. It only took about 30 seconds for the hum of the engine to knock him out. He spent most of the summer in his car seat next to the engine box behind the drivers seat.

2. Early August, Walloon lake, Mi. 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. 7am, mirror flat lake and not a boat on it. My wife and I loaded up the two kids and headed out. We both got several mile slalom sets in, then we parked in the middle of the lake and woke everyone up everyone up with a little dance party mix as we danced on the sun pad and swim platform with our 3 year old daughter. Then my wife and I swam with our 3 year old for about a half hour. After that we finished the outing with my wife and I both getting endless wakeboard sets in. We did all this while our son slept next to the engine box. 2 hours later we were back out on the lake with extended family for an afternoon of surfing. It was heaven!

That sounds awesome !

[BuFootin]

my most memorable moments for the 2011 boating year:

- skied a PB (twice) in the course at 32 off @ 34pmh.

- most ski days ever in a year with over 130

- longest ski season since living in N. Idaho (boat got wet in late March, last ski day Nov 6th.

Can't wait to see what next year brings

EDIT ON: Last Ski day December 4th (air temp - 38 Deg F, water temp - barely liquid)

[Molarbu]

EDIT ON: Last Ski day December 4th (air temp - 38 Deg F, water temp - barely liquid)

You're crazy even by Idaho standards!

[Bill_AirJunky]

You're crazy even by Idaho standards!

Come on now, Santa is gonna have to fly here in a couple weeks...... CdA Resort will be a little chilly if your not prepared for it.

[BuFootin]

You're crazy even by Idaho standards!

I happen to live with a couple folks (wife & daughter) that would tend to agree with you on the crazy part!

We haven't given up hope of getting the boat wet at least one day in January either

[BuFootin]

Come on now, Santa is gonna have to fly here in a couple weeks...... CdA Resort will be a little chilly if your not prepared for it.

Bill, when is your gig at the CDA resort?....I missed last year and would like to try to make it this year.